WILDERNESS ADVENTURE PRESS MAPS: NEW MEXICO RIO COSTILLA CREEK New Mexicos Rio Costilla (also known as Costilla Creek) is a small freestone that becomes a tailwater below Costilla Reservoir. It flows through meadows and canyons and fishes well for Rio Grande cutthroat, rainbow and cuttbow trout.Its mostly on private land, except for the national forest stretch and some water downstream that has been opened to the public (though is still under private ownership).The public stretch is called the Valle Vidal Unit. It is a section of the Carson National Forest that has special rules to protect spawning cutthroat trout. Its meadowy with lots of undercuts.Below the Valle Vidal, the Costilla flows through another 6.5 miles of private land that is open to the public (via a state lease) known as Rio Costilla Park. The fish tend to be larger in this stretch, and love hopper season. Below Latir Creek, the river flows through a canyon that holds more good-sized trout. A forest service road follows the river throughout this stretch.Latir Creek and the Latir Lakes (just south of the headwaters of the creek) are also available to fish in Rio Costilla Park.The Costilla is notorious for having quick fish that are hard to get a dry-fly hook in. You may be able to draw a rise, but the challenge comes in setting the hook.Attractor dries work well, especially in late summer.Bear in mind that many of the roads around the river are rustic and require four-wheeled drive.Special regulations on the Valle Vidal Unit: Season is July 1through Dec. 31, during daylight hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. From the upper boundary downstream to Latir Creek is special trout water: catch and release only, single hooks, artificial bait. ISBN: 0-WAP-41005-3 publish date: 06/30/2011